India Mandates Smartphone Makers to Preinstall the Government’s Sanchar Saathi App
India’s Ministry of Communications has issued a directive requiring smartphone manufacturers to preinstall the Sanchar Saathi security application on all new devices sold in the country. The order, dated November 28, gives companies 90 days to comply and explicitly prohibits users from removing or disabling the app.
A Nationwide IMEI Tracking and Blocking System
Sanchar Saathi is a government-operated platform designed to track, verify, and block smartphones across all mobile networks using IMEI numbers. The system helps identify stolen devices and prevents their reuse or reactivation, even if the SIM card or account information is changed. Once the app is active, authorities can flag a lost phone and render it unusable within minutes.Mandatory Preinstallation for All Major Manufacturers
The government issued its directive directly to Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, and other major OEMs. Every new smartphone model entering the Indian market must include Sanchar Saathi as a non-removable system component. Devices already in distribution channels must receive the application via OTA software updates, ensuring full ecosystem coverage.A Shift Away From User Consent
The mandate effectively removes user consent from the equation. Sanchar Saathi will operate at the system level whether or not a user wishes to participate. While officials argue that mandatory deployment enhances national security and reduces mobile-related crime, critics warn that such policies may normalize permanent government presence on personal devices.Impact on Privacy and Device Control
By enforcing an unremovable government application on millions of smartphones, India is taking one of the strongest regulatory positions globally on device-level identity enforcement. The move aligns with a broader strategy to tie digital activity to verified hardware identifiers. However, privacy advocates caution that IMEI-based tracking, if expanded beyond lost-device recovery, could create unprecedented levels of state visibility into citizen devices.Conclusion
India’s decision to mandate Sanchar Saathi signals a fundamental change in how governments may assert control over smartphone ecosystems. As manufacturers work to comply with the 90-day deadline, the global industry is watching closely: the policy could set a precedent for national device-level monitoring frameworks in other regions.Editorial Team - CoinBotLab
Source: Taiwan News
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